Wet machine and method



A ril 3, 1934. H. P. L. LAUSSUCQ WET MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 27,1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 3, 1934. H ussuc 1,953,240

WET MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 2 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 2 w [g im Q22.gaws April 3, 1934.

H. L. LAUSSUCQ WET MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 27, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet3 lawaaagi Patented Apr. 3, 1934 WET MACHINE AND METHOD Henri P. L.Laussucq, Reading,

Birdsboro Steel Foundry and Pa., assignor to Machine Company, Birdsboro,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 27,

38 Claims.

;ed to perform the operations.

A iur"- r purpose is to vent a press moldin'a A furtherpurpose is to airvent a press mold through recesses formed in the deckle and to close therecesses by gates.

A further piu'pose is to adjust the air venting for a press mold duringdifferent adjustments of the dies required to press sheets of difierentthicknesses.

A further purpose is to supply end gates through which. the mold isfilled with fiber, to locate air vent recesses inthe deckle sides forventing the interior of the mold as the fiber fiows into the mold andclose the vent recesses by gates.

' A further purpose is to vent air from the mold through recesses whichextend below the surface of the fiber, whereby excess fiber will flowinto the recesses and force the air from the mold through them, and toclose the vent recesses by gates after the air has been exhausted fromthe mold.

A further purpose is to insert relatively large vent recesses within thedeckles with the vent inlet openings extending adjacent to the bottom ofthe mold, to close the recesses by gates and to pass their lower gateedges down into the fiber when the gates are positioned to close therecesses.

A further purpose is to automatically close the vent gates when thematerialv is about to be compressed in the mold by the dies.

1 A further purpose is simultaneously to operate the flow gates and thevent gates.

A further purpose is to mount the vent gates upon the fiow gates.

A further purpose is to overfill the mold, to use the movable die toforce fiber back through air vent recesses, to stop the die within thefiber in the mold after it has forced the excess fiber from the mold andto close the recesses by vent gates to stop further discharge of thefiber during the compression part of the operation of the dies.

- A further purpose is to spray deckle gates with water so as to insurefree movement of the gates.

A further purpose is to spray water into the vent recesses to keep therecesses open for the free outlet of air from the mold.

A further purpose is to mount the water spray pipes upon the movabledecide and flexibly connect between the spray pipes and a source ofsupply of water under pressure.

1931, Serial No. 571,345 (Ci. 924m Further purposes will appear in thespecification and in the claims.

My invention relates both to the methods or processes involved and tostructure by which the methods may be carried out.

I have elected to show one main form only of my invention, selecting aform which is practical and efiicient in operation and which wellillustrates the principles involved.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a press, partly in section, embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a right-hand end view of Figure 1, partially in section online 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional viewalso on line 2-2, Figure 1, drawn on a larger scale.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View on line 4-4, Figure2, showing the deckle and flow boxes in their lowermost positions, andshowing the flow gates closed between the mold and the flow boxes.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional View as on line 5--5, Figure4, showing the air vent gates closed between the mold and vent openingsin the deckle.

Figure'6 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the fiow gates openedand the mold filled.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view on line 7-7, Figure 6, showingthe vent gates opened.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the flow gates closed andthe mold filled.

Figure 9 is a transverse sectional View as on line 9-9, Figure 8,showing the method of spraying or washing the air vent openings andgates.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the gates closed andthe die lowered and compressing the material into a sheet.

Figure 11 is a transverse sectional view on line 1111, Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a view corresponding generally to Figure 6 but showing adifferent filling operation.

Figures 13 and 14 are fragmentary perspective views of structureillustrating my invention.

Like numbers refer to like parts in all figures.

Describing in illustration and not in limitation and referring to thedrawings:-

Wet machines for forming boards and sheets from paper pulp, leatherfiber and other commercial fiber suspensions are well known, andtherefore much of the illustration, although showing structure, is to beregarded as conventional. The primary purpose of all such machines is topress liquid, usually water, from raw material suspension to form theraw material into a sheet.

For convenience in designation, I refer to the maintain the fiberflowing continuously in one' direction, with as few interruptions aspossible, to project the fiber laterally rather than vertically,avoiding sudden dropping into final position, to prevent all escape ofliquid suspension medium until precipitation is desired and to chargethe mold rapidly and accurately without'allowing air to be trapped inthe mold.

In the ordinary wet machine the upper die is smooth and the lower die isforaminated for removal of water. This formation givesair access beneaththe sheet so that the pressed sheet does not stick nor in many casesfall readily to the lower die but sticks to the upper die where vacuumconditions are created.

While it is customary to construct wet ma,- chines with upper movableand lower stationary dies, as illustrated, lower movablediesaresometimes used. It will be evident,of course, that my invention isequally applicable, whetherthe upper die alone, or the lower die alone,or both dies are movable.

While the upper and lower dies are of course press platens, the termplaten is also applied to vparts of the press located above or below themovable die, which are used to support the rams.

The principalparts of the illustrated wet board press, or wet machine,include top and bottom fixed platens and 16 respectively, and tensioncolumns 1'7, which form a rigid frame 18. An intermediate movable die orplaten 20 and a sur rounding movable deckle 21 are slidably mounted vupon the columns 1'7. The intermediate platen 20 is or carries the upperdie and the bottom platen 16 is or carries the lower die. n v

The platen 20 is movable to and from the bottom platen 16 by mainhydraulic ra ns 22 operatively mounted in cylinders 23, rigidly securedto the top platen 15. The cylinders 23 have pipe connections 24 throughwhich a pressure medium passes for forcing the rams 22 and the movabledie or platen 2Q downwardly toward the lower fixed platen 16, whichforms the lower die of the press. I

I The movable platen 20 is supported upon and moved upwardly by bars orlinks 25, connected to the platen 20 and suspended from cross-heads 26,which latter are lifted by retracting rams 2'7 operating in hydrauliccylinders 28, supplied with fluid through suitable pipe connections 29.The cylinders 23 are rigidly mounted upon pedestals, or bases securedupon the top facing surfaces of lugs 31 formingoverhanging portions ofthe top frame member or fixed platen 15. I

These are two of the cylinders 28 locatedat opposite ends of the topplaten 15. These cylinders 28 are located upon the longitudinal centerline of the platen l5 and centrally of each cross'head 26. The cylinders28 lift the cross heads, which in turn lift the links 25 and the movableplaten 20.

The movable platen which forms the upper die, is surrounded by a deckle21, comprising longitudinal sides 32 and 33, located close to the sidesof the platen 20. The deckle 21 also includes transverse frame members34 and 35 rigidly secured to the ends of the sides 32 and 33. Flow boxes36 and 37 are rigidly connected to the deckle sides at 38 and 39 and tothe ends 40 and 41 of the transverse frame members 34 and 35, whichlatter form the inner walls of the flow boxes.

The deckle sides 32 and 33 carry lugs 42 which are slidably mounted uponthe columns 1'7, thus making the deckle 21 movable relatively to themovable platen 20 and also to the upper and lower dies or platens 15 and16.

The deckle, as formed by the sides 32 and 33 and the end flow boxes 36and 3'7, forms a parallelogram defining the sides and ends of the mold.The deckle surrounds the movable platen 20, and these two are movedindependently of each other. They form a working fit together, with theresult that they move relatively and independently of each other andalso form a tight joint for the purpose of sealing the top of the mold.

The flow boxes 36 and 3'7 receive the fiber, mush, or material to beformed into sheets in the press. The mush is supplied to the flow boxesthrough suitable pipes, not shown in the drawings.

The flow boxes 36 and 3'7 have openings or throats 43 through which themush flows upon the lower platen 16, filling, or partly filling themold, or space formed within the deckle when the latter is in its lowerposition, as shown in the drawings.

Mush fiow gates 44 are provided upon the deckles to open and close thethroats 43 of the fiow boxes 36 and 37. Suitable guides, not shown inthe drawings, are provided upon the transverse frame members 34 and 35,,forming part of the flow boxes, in which guides the mush fiow gates 44are movable vertically.

Iuse the word deckle in its broad sense to mean the lateral wall of themold, including all inlet gates, vent gates, liners and confining wallswhatsoever. I do not regard the distinction, be tween the singular andthe plural of the word deckle, nor between the side deckle and the enddeckle, as critical.

The deckle 21, together with the fiow boxes forming part of the deckle,is supported and vertically positioned by hangers 45, having their lowerends rigidly connected at 46 to the transverse frame members 34 and 35,forming the inner wallsof the fiow boxes. The frame members 34 and 35are rigidly attached to the end plates 4'7 of the flow boxes, whichplates in turn are rigidly at-. tached to the ends of the deckle sides32 and 33. The upper} ends of the hangers are rigidly secured to thecross heads 48, having their outer ends mounted upon deckle rams 49,operatively mounted in hydraulic cylinders 50 rigidly secured at theirlower ends 51 upon extension brackets 52 formed upon the upper platen,or rigid frame member 15.

,The cylinders 50 are suitably supplied with operating fluid underpressure through pipes 53 so as to lift the deckle 21.

The fiow gates 44 extend across the full length of the fiow boxes 36 and37. Upon each gate 44, near the center of its length, is secured at 54an upright or stem 55 having its upper end attached at 56 to a plungeror gate ram 5'7. There is a plunger 5'7 for each gate 44,

The plungers 5'7 are cperatively mounted in cylinders 58 having fluidconnections 59 through which a pressure mediumis preferably constantlysupplied tothe cylinders 58. By this arrangement the flow gates 44 arenormally pressed downwardly into the closed position, as shown inFigures 1, 2, 4, 8 and 10 of the drawings. The cylinders 58 carrying thegate rams or plungers 57 are rigidly mounted upon brackets 60, by boltsor tie rods 61.

The brackets 60 are mounted upon the cylinders 28.

The flow gates 44 are adapted to be lifted against the heavy downwardurging of the constant pressure plungers or rams 57, without lifting thedeokle 21, by means of rocker arms 62, which make connection withslotted links 63,

. shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, by means of opposed to thegate-opening ram "Ill, and the smaller rain 73, being preferably underconstant pressure, heavily retracts the gate-opening ram '70 and therebyrotates the rocker shaft 56 to a position to close the flow gates 44.

The slotted link 63 and pin connections at 64 permit upward movement ofthe deckle 21, including the flow gates 44, as a single unit withoutchanging the positions of the rocker arms 82, and, if the deckle be allthe way down, perinit opening and closing the flow gates 44 withoutmovement of the deckle. The flow gates 44 lift against the downwardpressure of the constant pressure rams 5'! by the action of thehorizontal gate-opening ram to through the rocker shaft 66 and links es,

' and close by action of the constant pressure rams 57, upon r leasingthe horizontal gate-opening ram '20.

When the deckle 21 is raised, the flow gates 44 are Kept closed underthe heavy downward push by the constant pressure rams 57. The constantpressure ram '73 returns th rocker mechanisn to the position of gateclosing when the gates are closed by the constant pressure rams 5'7.

The bottom fixed platen 16 carries a filter bed permitting downwarddrainage or expression of water from the fiber or mush.

As illustrated, in Figures 2 and 5, the top surface of the bottom platen16 contains a series of transverse drainage grooves '76. The grooved topsurface of the platen is covered by a foraminated plate 7'7, which is inturn covered by a movable screen, or wire, 78 having a mesh of the orderor" 40 or so mesh, desirably shifted and washed after forming eachsheet. The shifting and washing are well known in the art.

To avoid uneven stratification or distribution of fiber in the mold andto avoid premature felting of the parts of the body prior to felting ofthe content in its entirety seepage or leakage of water through thebottom of the mold must be prevented until the pressing operationbegins. The water look upon the bottom of the die 16 therefore retainswater in the mold not only while the mush is entering and the mold isfilling, but

until the die 20 has expelled the air and/or ex- The water locksillustrated in the drawings comprise vertically sliding valve plates 79positioned at opposite sides of the lower die 16 close the ends of thedrainage grooves 76, as shown in Figure 'l. Troughs 79' are rigidlymounted upon the opposite sides of the die 16 and receive the water fromthe grooves '76 when the gates are in he lower, or open position.

The sliding plates 79, as shown in Figure 2, are normally held in theraised, or closed position, by weighted arms 89 pivoted upon bearings 81on the lower die 16. Links 82 are provided for pivotally connecting thearms with the plates The sliding plates 79 are simultaneously openedwith the closing of the flow gates 44, by means of flexible 83 securedto the weighted ends of the arms 80 and wound around drums 84 securedupon the rocker shaft 66, which latter is rotated when the flow gates 44are closed. The flexible members 83 are guided by pulleys 83.

The present invention provides vent gates 85 and vent recesses orpassageways 86 witl n'n the decide sides 32 and 33. The vent gates 85and recesses 86 are located centrally of the mold between the end flowgates 44, which latter are located at the opposite ends of the deckle.The inner surfaces of the decide sides 32 and 33 are grooved to affordvertical guides for the vent gates 85.

The inner surfaces of the vent gates 85 are flush with the innervertical surfaces of the deckle sides, and the vent gates form acontinuation of the vertical walls of the mold.

The movable die so fits within the inner surfaces of the vent gates aswell as within the inner 1 surfaces of the deckle sides, thus formingtight joints which prevent the escape of the fiber or mush when the die20 is lowered to compress the material in the mold.

vent recesses 85 have inner openings 87 of sufilcient height to extendvertically from the lower face of the die 20, when it is in its raisedposition, to a point below the level of the upper surface of thefinished sheet when compressed as shown in Figure 11.

Each of the vent recesses 86, formed in the deckle sides, has anoutwardly and upwardly inclined bottom. surface 88. The lower edge ofeach vent gate 85 is provided with a beveled surface so that the gatewill form a tight joint when it is moved downwardly to close the ventrecess, as shown in Figures 2 and 5. Each vent recess 86 has an outlet89 located at a higher level than the inlet opening 8'? from the mold.Said outlet 89 is formed by a wall 96 formed by the deckle side, whichwall is in spaced relation with the outer face of the vent gate, thusforming a pocket or recess into which the fiber may flow when the ventgate is opened, and over the top of which wall the fiber must flow topass through the outlet 89, as shown in Figure 7.

The fiber flows into the mold from the flow gates 44 located at oppositeends of the mold, thus gradually filling the mold. When the twoquantities of fiber, flowing from the opposite flow gates, meet in thecentral portion of the mold the air is forced from the mold through thevent recesses 86. The fiber flows into the vent recesses partiallyfilling the pockets or recesses 86 and thereby forcing the air outthrough the vent recesses in advance of the fiber so that the latter mayentirely fill the mold.

By forming the inlet openings 8'? of the vent recesses of full heightequal to the movement of the die 20, the vent apertures will allow theair to escape at any level within the limits of the vertical inletopenings 87 thus providing means for venting the mold. when filling themold to any desired level according to the intended thickness of thefinished sheet.

When the mold is filled with fiber, the vent gates 85 are lowered to theposition shown in Figures 2 and 5 for preventing further escape of thematerial from the mold. The vent gates 85 and the flow gates 44 aresimultaneously closed before the die 26 starts to compress the materialin the mold.

Each vent gate 85 is provided with a hanger bar 91 extending in oppositedirections from the vent gate. The opposite ends of each hanger bar 91are supported upon the ends of the flow gates Q4. The hanger bars areprovided with upwardly and inwardly turned hooks 92, which project overthe fiow gates, as shown in Figures 1 and 13. By this arrangement thevent gates 85 are raised and lowered simultaneously with the raising andlowering of the how gates 44.

Overflow pipes 93 are secured upon the deckle sides 32 and 33, andproject horizontally from the dec'sle. The inner ends of the pipes 93communicate with the outlets 89 of the vent recesses 86 formed in thedeckle sides. Said pipes 93 are movable with the deckle. A downwardlyprojecting pipe 9 1 is mounted upon the outer end of each overflow pipe93 and loosely enters and telescopically moves in a fixed drain pipe 95.

The pipe 94 is provided with a hood 96 which surrounds the drain pipe 95and forms a sliding joint between the fixed drain pipe and the movabledrain pipe.

The overflow pipes 93 carry upwardly projecting pipes 97 havingventilating caps 98 through which the air from the recesses 86 isexhausted. The overflow pipes 93 are provided with downwardly inclinedlower walls for the free passage of liquid from the outlets 89 of thevent recesses.

Means are provided for washing the fiber from the vent recesses 85 andalso from the vent gates 85, insuring that the gates shall work freelyand also insuring an open passageway through the vent recesses. Thedeckle sides 32 and 33 are provided each with apertures 99 which formspray nozzles for directing streams of water into the lower portions ofthe pockets or recesses 86 formed between the walls of the deckle andthe vent gates.

Supply pipes 100 are mounted upon the deckle, and move vertically withthe latter for supplying water to the plurality of apertures or nozzles99.

Branch supply pipes 101 extend upwardly and over the upper surface ofthe deckle sides and are provided with spray nozzles 102 for directing aspray of water to the surface of the vent gates 85 where it enters theguide formed in the upper portion of the deckle. A flexible pipe 103 isconnected with the water supply pipes 100 and 101 so that the supplypipes may move vertically with the deckle.

The pipe 101 is conveniently provided with apertures corresponding to102 not only upon the face of the pipe adjoining the gate 85 but uponthe opposite face of the pipe where they play into a groove 104 upon andalong the adjoining face of the deckle. This groove 1.04 supplies wateralong the side faces of the gate 85, part of the supporting guideconstruction of the end of the gate being grooved for this purpose.

It will thus be seen that water fiows upwardly into the bottom of therecess and also downwardly along the fiat outer face and along the endsof the gate to wash out the recess and clear the surface of the gate,carrying the mush which is washed free out along with the water throughthe outlet opening 89.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The die 20 is held in theraised position by the rams, and the deckle is lowered upon the bottomplaten, thus forming the mold. The flow gates are normally closedrelatively to the deckle by the pressure actuated gate rams, and thevent gates are also lowered to the closed position with the downwardmovement of the flow gates. Figures 4 and 5 show the flow gates and thevent gates in the closed position, and the die 20 moved downwardly to astopped position to govern the quantity of fiber which can fiow into themold.

Suitable means are provided in the form of Vertical adjustable stopshafts 105, shown in Figure 1, for locating the position of the movabledie 20 so that the mold will contain a measured quantity of fiber forforming a finished sheet of the desired thickness.

Various plans of filling and corresponding die operation are availablewith the mechanism shown. For example, the die may be set at thepredetermined limit of filling from which the pressing action isintended to start; in which case the mush is filled in against it andthe air extruded by reason of the displacement of the air by the mush asthe filling comes in, after which the inlets and air outlets or ventsare closed and the pressing action begins. Some mush will also flow out.Figure 4 shows such a mush accumulation waiting for the gates to open toflow into the mold.

The mush charge may be predetermined by flow box capacity, as by anoverflow weir 106 (Figure 12) with or without filling against the upperdie. The excess mush flows over the weir into the space 107.

Where over-filling is practiced, the upper die may be set at the limitof overfilling and the mush may be filled in against it, pushing the airout ahead of the mush and following it out within the recess; afterwhich the movable die is pushed downwardly to the normal filling chargeposition at which pressing is to begin, extruding mush back into thefiow box and into the recess all the while, with possible overflowthrough outlet 93.

The inlet gates and permissibly the air vent are kept open during theshort downward movement of the upper die while the over-charge is beingexpelled. The mush inlet gates and the air vent are closed when, byreason of downward relative if not actual movement of the upper die, thelimit of intended charge depth has been reached and the pressingoperation is to begin.

On the other hand whether it be intended to over-charge or not, thedepth of initial filling, either the intended final depth of filling orthe over-charge depth, can be determined by the volume of mush in thefiow boxes. The height of mush initially will then be determined by thesettling depth when the ilow gates are open. In Figure 12 the charge ismeasured in the flow box by pouring the excess over the weir. If thisdepth be the total depth of intended charge for pressing, the upper dieis then brought down against it, expelling the air before the air ventis closed and before or after the flow gates are closed according towhether the flow gates are or are not usedas air outlet vents or gates.

Where it is intended initially to over-charge with the upper die liftedabove thecharge position,

the depth of over-charge is determined by the quantity of mush in theflow boxes and the flow gates are opened, allowing the mush to flow inand to settle to the predetermined height of overcharge. The upper dieis then brought down against the over-charge level of mush, expressingthe air through the air vents and fiow gates, after which the die isfurther dropped or forced downwardly until the over-charge has beenpressed through the fiow gates and/or air vents.

Overcharge and expression of the over-charge through the flow gates hasthe advantage of additionally expelling the air either through thevents, if they be left open, or through the flow gates, so that thepressing die has complete contact with the mush at the time the diereaches the upper limit of intended pressing movement. The flow gates(and the air vents also if they have been opened for expression of airand mush) are, of course, closed before the operation begins. The use ofthe air vents in addition to the flow gates for air outlet gives addedopportunity for escape of trapped air.

Where there has been over-charge, the first downward movement of the die20 after it comes in contact with the overcharge level of the mush,presses some of the excess material along with the air through the ventrecesses in the deckle sides, giving opportunity for a more completeventing of the air than would take place if care be taken to preventexpression of anything but air only through the vents.

These features of setting of the head to predetermined heights forfilling against the head to normal charge, or filling against the headto an over-charge, affect the character and sequence of the stepsperformed in the filling and pressing operation and are capable of usewith any form of venting, but reach their highest utility in conjunctionwith a form of vent which acts reliably at any height and which isunaffected by the expression of over-charge.

I have considered it unnecessary to show the considerable variety ofstop mechanisms by which the height of the movable die can bepredetermined so as to set it at the height at which it will limit thecharge to a normal pressing charge or to the height at which it willlimit the charge to a predetermined extent of over-charge.

The means shown for preliminarily setting the height limits the upperheight of movement of the movable die so that instead of lifting to agreater height and then lowering to a' stop position the movable die islifted to the predetermined height at which it will limit the charge tonormal or over-charge quantity as planned. The adjusting screws threadinto the upper fixed platen as a nut and engage the upper surface of theupper movable die to limit the upward movement of this upper movabledie. They can thus be preliminarily set to any predetermined height ofupper die movement and furthermore can be 'set to one position of upperdie movement and then can be reset by forcing the upper die down forallowing it to come up to a different setting.

The threaded stops are operated by worm wheels upon their upper ends,which wheels are turned by worms 108 mounted upon shaft 109 and capableof being turned by a wrench engag ing the end 110. This illustration isintended primarily to satisfy the statutory requirement by showing oneform which is capable of variation both preliminarily and duringoperation, but the character of stop used might be quite different.

When the mold is entirely filled below the lower face of the die 20 thefiber will also flow into and partially fill the pockets formed withinthe vent recesses. Slight depression of the die until it reaches aposition governed by stop shafts 105 will force the excess fiber intothe flow boxes and also into the vent recesses, as shown in Figures sand 7. The flow gates and the vent gates are then closed, as shown inFigures 8 and 9. After closing of the flow box and vent gates as alsoshown in Figures 8 and 9, the flow boxes may start to fill and the ventswill drain. After operation, water is supplied to the spray apertures ornozzles for washing out the vent recesses and also for spraying theupper portion of the vent gates, as shown in Figure 9.

Figures 10 and 11 show the die 20 in its lowest position, in which ithas compressed the material to form the finished sheet, by the action ofthe main rams 22, shown in Figure 1. The flow boxes are also shown inFigure 10 more nearly filled flow from the mold to the drainage groovesand into the drainage troughs. Said water locks or plates are maintainedopened during the final pressing of the fiber into the finished sheet,as shown in Figure 11.

When the sheet is finished the deckle is lifted by the deckle rams. Theupward movement of the deckle releases the tension upon the flexiblemember thus allowing the weighted arms to close the water looks orplates.

The die is lifted by the retracting rams to a position which will permitthe finished sheet to be removed from the press.

It will be evident that the air vents offer air outlet above the mushwhatever the height of mush poured, and may be used for mush outletswhether the mush inlets from the fiow box be used for this purpose ornot. Their outlets over wall 90 are sufliciently high to prevent wasteof mush during normal filling, but permit any quantity of mush to beforced out through them up to the time that the gates are closed,whether the gates 44' be closed or open at that time.

This is advantageous in over-filling operations where it is desired toforce the excess mush out through the air vents alone, or through theair vents in conjunction with the filling openings.

Provision of vent openings up to the full height of the filling, asprovided by my invention, avoids the trapping of air within the moldwhich is inevitable where a fixed vent is provided which is below thefilling level for some volumes of charge.

It will be evident that, in forming a sheet, I spread out the mush intoa relatively thin layer, introducing the mush and withdrawing thedisplaced air and excess mush at an edge of the layer, and then closingthe gates to prevent escape of material at the edges when the mush ispressed.

In 'view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications tomeet individual'whim or particular need will doubtless become evident toothers skilled in the'art, to obtain part or all of the benefits of myinvention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claimall such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scopeof my invention.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a wet machine for making sheets or boards from finely dividedfiber, a deckle and upper and lower relatively movable dies forming amold, said deckle having a passageway formed therein providing an airvent, and a gate arranged for closing the air vent.

2. In a wet machine for making sheets or boards from finely dividedfabric, a deckle and upper and lower relatively movable dies forming amold, means for supplying mush to the mold, said deckle having apassageway formed through the same providing an air vent open to theatmosphere, and a gate slidably mounted upon the deckle for closing saidpassageway.

3. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deckleforming the vertical walls of a mold, means upon the deckle walls forsupplying material to the mold, a deckle wall having an air vent recessformed therein open to the atmosphere, said recess being of sufficientdimensions to receive excess material from the mold, and means upon thedeckle for closing said recess.

4. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklesurrounding the upper die forming a mold, said deckle having an inletpassageway formed therein through which material is supplied to themold, said deckle having an air vent passageway formed therein locatedat a remote portion of the mold from said inlet, and gates operativelymounted upon the deckle arranged for closing said inlet and ventpassageways.

5. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklehaving vertical walls surrounding the upper die forming a'mold, meansupon the deckle for supplying material to the mold, a deckle wall havinga vent recess formed therein, said recess communicating with the moldadjacent to the lower face of the upper die when the latter is in itslowest position, and a gatemovably mounted upon the deckle arranged forclosing communication between the mold and said recess.

6. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklehaving vertical walls surrounding the upper die forming a mold, meansupon the deckle for supplying material to the mold, a deckle wall havinga vent recess formed therein, said vent recess forming-an openingcommunicating with the mold coextensive in height with the verticalmovement of the lower face of the upper die, and a gate upon the decklearranged for closing communication between the mold and said recess.

7. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklehaving vertical walls surrounding the upper die forming a mold, meansupon the deckle for supplying material to the mold, a deckle wall havinga vent recess formed therein, said recess registering with the moldthroughout the entire distance traversed by the lower face of the upperdie during the opening and closing movements of the latter, and meansupon the deckle arranged for closing said recess.

8., In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklehaving vertical walls surrounding the upper die forming a mold, meansupon the deckle for supplying material to the mold, a deckle wall havinga vent recess formed therein, said recess having a relatively largeinlet passageway from the mold forming a pocket into which excessmaterial may enter from the mold, and a gate movably mounted upon thedeckle positioned between the vertical face of the upper die and thedeckle wall, arranged for c1os-- ing the passageway between the mold andsaid recess.

9. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklehaving vertical walls surrounding the upper die forming a mold, means 5upon the deckle for supplying material to the mold, a deckle wall havinga vent recess formed therein, said deckle wall having an upwardly andoutwardly inclined discharge wall defining said recess, and a gatemovably mounted upon the deckle, positioned upon the inner vertical faceof the deckle for closing the passageway between the mold and saidrecess.

10. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklehaving vertical walls surrounding the upper die forming a mold, meansupon the deckle for supplying material to the mold, a deckle Wall havinga vent recess formed therein, said deckle wall having an upwardly andoutwardly inclined wall defining said recess, a gate slidably mountedupon the deckle, and said gate having a beveled lower edge surfacecorresponding to the inclined surface of the wall forming said recessarranged for closing communication between the mold and said recess.

11. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklehaving vertical walls surrounding the upper die forming a mold, meansupon the deckle for supplying material to the mold, a deckle wall havinga vent recess formed therein, said recess forming an upwardly andoutwardly extending diagonal passageway through the deckle wallcommunicating at its inner end with the mold when the upper die is inits lower position and having its outlet positioned adjacent to thelevel of the lower face of the upper die when the latter is in itsraised position, and a gate movably mounted upon the deckle arranged forclosing communication between the mold and said recess.

12. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklehaving vertical walls surrounding the upper die forming a mold, meansupon the deckle for supplying material to the mold, a deckle wall havinga vent recess forming therein, said recess communicating with the moldat a level to receive material from the mold, an overflow pipe upon thedeckle communicating with said recess adjacent to the level of the upperportion of the mold, and means for closing communication from the moldthrough the reces 13. In a wet machine, upper and lower relative- 1ymovable dies, a deckle having vertical walls surrounding the upper dieforming a mold, means upon the deckle for supplying material to themold, a deckle wall having a vent recess formed therein, said recesscommunicating with the mold at a level to receive material from themold, an overflow pipe mounted upon the deckle and connected with saidrecess adjacent to the level of the upper portion of the mold, avertically positioned branch pipe mounted upon said overflow pipe and adrain pipe with which said branch pipe is slidably connected.

14. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklehaving walls surrounding the upper die forming a mold, means upon thedeckle for supplying material to the mold, a deckle wall having a ventrecess formed therein, an overflow pipe having an air ventilatingoutlet, a branch pipe mounted upon said overflow pipe, a verticallypositioned drain pipe into which the end of the branch pipe looselyenters, and a hood upon said branch pipe loosely embracing the drainpipe.

15. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklesurrounding the upper die forming a mold, said deckle movably mountedrelatively to said dies, a flow box upon the deckle for filling the moldwith fiber, a gate arranged for closing the flow box, said deckle havingan air vent recess formed therein communicating with the mold, a gatearranged for closing comma -ication between the air vent recess and themold, an overflow pipe mounted upon the movable deckle and connectedwith said recess, an upwardly extending air vent pipe upon said overflowpipe, a drain pipe, and a telescoping connection between said overflowpipe and the drain pipe.

16. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklesurrounding the upper die forming a mold, said deckle movably mountedrelatively to said dies, a flow box upon the deckle for filling the moldwith fiber, a gate arranged for closing the flow box, said deckle havingan air vent recess formed therein, a gate arranged for closingcommunication between the air vent recess and the mold, and means forsimultaneously opening and closing said gates.

17. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklesurrounding the upper die forming a mold, said deckle movably mountedrelatively to said dies, a flow box upon the deckle for filling the moldwith fiber, a gate arranged for closing the flow box, said deckle havingan air vent recess formed therein, a gate arranged for closingcommunication between the air vent recess and the mold, means forraising and lowering the flow box gate, and means for mounting the gatecontrolling the air vent recess upon the flow box gate.

18. In a wet machine, upper and lower rela tively movable dies, a decklesurrounding the upper die forming a mold, said deckle movably mountedrelatively to said dies, flow boxes located upon opposite ends of thedeckle for filling the mold with fiber, gates arranged between the flowboxes and the mold, said deckle having air vent recesses formed in theside members thereof, gates upon the deckle arranged for controllingcommunication through said air vent recesses, hanger bars upon which thegates controlling the air vent recesses are mounted, said hanger barssupported at their opposite ends upon the flow box gates, and means forraising and lowering the flow box gates.

19. In a Wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a decklesurrounding the upper die forming a mold, said deckle movabily mountedrelative to said dies, flow boxes located upon opposite ends of thedeckle for filling the mold with fiber, gates arranged between the flowboxes and the mold, said deckle having air vent recesses formed in theside members thereof, gates upon the deckle arranged for controllingcommunication through the air vent recesses, hanger bars upon which thegates controlling the air vent recesses are mounted, hooks formed uponthe opposite ends of said hanger bars, said hooks being supported uponthe flow box gates, and means for raising and lowering the flow boxgates.

20. In a wet machine, walls forming a mold, gates in the vertical moldwalls moving in guidedeckle having an outlet located adjacent to thegate arranged for flushing the latter.

22. In a wet machine, upper and lower relative 1y movable dies, a decklesurrounding the upper die forming a mold, said deckle movably mountedrelatively to the dies, said deckle having an air vent recess formedtherein, a gate slidably mounted upon the deckle arranged for closingcommunication between the mold and said air vent recess, and a spraynozzle mounted upon the deckle arranged for spraying the surface or" thegate which is presented toward said recess formed in the deckle.

23. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deckleforming the vertical walls or" a mold having a vent passageway throughthe vertical wall of the deckle, a gate slidably mounted upon the decklearranged for opening and closing said passageway, and a water supplypipe having an outlet located upon the deckle arranged for spraying thesurface of the gate which is in sliding contact with the deckle.

24. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deckleforming the vertical walls of a mold having vent passageway through thevertical wall of the deckle, a gate slidably mounted upon the decklearranged for opening and closing said passageway, and a water supplypipe connected with said decide, said deckle having a spray apertureformed therein communicating at one end with said water pipe and at itsother end with said passageway.

25. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deckleforming the vertical walls of a mold, said deckle having a ventpassageway formed therethrough, a gate slidably mounted upon the decklearranged for opening and closing said passageway, a water pipehaving anoutlet located above the deckle for spraying the surface of the gatewhich is in sliding contact with the deckle, a second water pipe leadinginto said passageway adjacent to the outer surface of the gate, a watersupply pipe, and a flexible pipe-connection between said water pipes andsaid supply pipe permitting the free movement of the water pipes withthe deckle.

26. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deckleforming the vertical walls of a mold with which said dies areoperatively associated, walls forming a vent recess through the deckleproviding a passageway communicating with the mold, a gate slidablymounted in the deckle and positioned vertically between the deckle andthe upper movable die, said deckle having an outwardly and upwardlyinclined wall defining said recess, said wall having an aperture formedthrough the same communicating with said recess between said wall andthe outer surface of the gate relatively to the mold, and a water supplypipe connected with the deckle and communicating with said aperture forspraying the surface of the gate and said recess.

27. A wet machine having an air outlet permitting overfiow of mush in avertical wall of the mold, a closure for said opening and spray meansfor cleaning the closure and outlet.

28. A wet machine having an air outlet permitting overflow of mush in avertical wall of the mold, a closure for said opening and spray meansfor cleaning the outlet.

29. A wet machine having an air outlet from a vertical wall of the meldpermitting flow of mush therethrough and walls forming a pocketcommunicating with said outlet and having an overflow weir incombination with spray means for cleaning the pocket.

30. A wet machine having inlet and air vent outlet openings andconcurrently operated separate closure means for the two openings.

31. In a wet machine having inlet and air vent openings and a Water lockcontrolling the passage of liquid through the filter bed, means forclosing the inlet and air outlet openings and concurrently operatedmeans for opening the water lock when the inlet and air outlet areclosed.

32. In a wet machine having inlet and air vent openings and a water lockcontrolling the passage of liquid through the filter bed, means forclosing the inlet and air outlet openings and concurrently operatedmeans for closing the water lock when the inlet and air outlet areopened.

33. The method of forming a sheet of material from mush, which consistsin spreading out the mush within a closed space into a relatively thinhorizontal layer, introducing the mush to the layer at one edge andforcing the air displaced by the mush and the excess mush out at anotheredge, in completely enclosing the sides of the layer While maintainingthe space occupied by the layer constant and in subsequently compressingthe layer to remove liquid from the mush.

34. The method of forming asheet of material from mush, which consistsin spreading out the mush within a closed space into a relatively thinhorizontal rectangular layer, in introducing the mush at an edge of thelayer, in a direction diagonal of the layer and forcing out the air andexcess mush at an adjacent edge of the layer, in

completely enclosing the edges of the layer while maintaining the volumeoccupied by the layer constant and in compressing the layer to: removeliquid from the mush.

35. The method of forming a sheet of material from which consists inspreading out the mush within a closed space into a relatively thinhorizontal layer, in introducing the mush at an edge of the layer, indecreasing the volume occupied by the mush to force out displaced airand excess mush at an edge of the layer, in completely enclosing theedges of the layer and in compressing the layer to remove liquid fromthe mush.

36. The method of forming a sheet of material from mush, which consistsin spreading out the mush into a relatively thin horizontal layer,introducing the mush at an edge of the layer and withdrawing thedisplaced air and excess mush at another edge of the layer, in sprayingwater into the excess mush as it is removed, in completely enclosing theedges of the layer and in compressing the mush to remove liquid from it.

37. The method of forming a sheet of material from mush, which consistsin spreading out the mush into a relatively thin horizontal layer,introducing more than enough mush to fill the space occupied by thelayer, crowding out the e' cess mush from the layer, in spraying liquidupon the excess mush as it is crowded out and in compressing the mush toremove liquid from it.

38. The method of forming a. sheet of material frem mush, which consistsin spreading out the mush Within a closed space into a relatively thinhorizontal layer, introducing the mush at an edge or" the layer andforcing out displaced air and excess mush at an edge of the layer, indecreasing the volume occupied by the layer, to crowd out the mush fromthe layer, in completely enclosing the edges of the layer and incompressing the mush to remove liquid from it.

HENRI P. L. LAUSSUCQ.

